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Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 7.
If you endure hastening, God deal with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?
But if you be without justice, mentor of all our partakers, then are you ******** and not sons.
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. So we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and blood, for they verily for a few days chasing us after their own pleasure, but He for our prophet, that we might be partakers of His Holiness.
Now notationing for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless. Afterward yield is the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised and thereby.
Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet West, and that which is laying be turned out of the way. But let it rather be healed.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligently with any man fell of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Plus there be any fornicator or proof fame person as Esau, who for one morsel of me sold his birthright. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected.
Before you found no place of repentance, though he saw it carefully, with tears.
So you're not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness, and Tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, Which voice? They that heard and treated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. But they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast and touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with the dark.
And so terrible was the slice that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. But ye are come unto man Zion, and unto the city of a living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, into an innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.
And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant.
Into the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
See that you refuse not him that speaketh, whereas they escape not Who refused him that spake on earth much more Shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven? Whose voice then shook the earth? But now he had promising. Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
In this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, if those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved. Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.
I was wondering if there isn't a particular exercise that maybe would be well if we just moved on through the chapter. And I say that because I think there's a tendency.
That we get sometimes, uh, bogged down and when our young people go away from the meeting, they don't have an overview of a chapter. We enjoyed many wonderful things, but that has its place after we get the overview. And, uh, I would kind of suggest that we, uh, not to cut off any exercise about these verses on, uh, chasing, but just that we keep in mind that it would be good to.
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Go on and give an overview.
I think that's a good exercise. I just say in summary before we pass on, but I think there's two things that stand out in connection with these verses that we have read and in connection with chasing our child training. And that is first of all, it's done in love because the sixth verse says whom the Lord loveth he chasing us and then we find that it's done for our profit. If you just notice, particularly the 10th verse for verily for a few days for they verily for a few days chastened us.
After their own pleasure, but he for our prophet that we might be partakers of His Holiness. I think it's good to get a hold in our souls of these two things, but when God allows something in our lives, it's done in love and it's done for our prophet. I have children and I often correct them and chasing them, but I couldn't say that I always did it for their profit. Sometimes they're in the way and I don't want them there. They're making too much noise or they're a bother to me and that's not for my pro. That's not for their profit. That's just a selfish motive in chasing my children.
But isn't it wonderful to think that our Father, uh, he chastens us, but it's for our prophets that we might be partakers of His Holiness. And so if God has allowed something in our lives in his schooling or under his chastening hand as far as correction, let's remember this. It's in love and it's for our good and blessing if we're exercised and we learn the lesson that he has for us, because as we said this morning, it's only as we learn the lesson and our exercise by what he allows. If there's indifference, we're not going to receive the blessing.
But to realize, brethren, that not only is everything in our lives for a purpose. I might have a purpose for the family, but again, it may be just a selfish motive to gain some end for myself. But God's ways with us are not just for a for a purpose, but they're for a purpose of blessing. And I believe that while we see that now as we look back over many things and we own the Lord's hand and we receive the blessing, I do think that there are many things we're not going to understand until we get to glory.
But there are some things the Lord passes us through that we're really not going to see the fruition of the purpose until we get home and we look back and we see all His ways with us. And it says of the heavenly city, in that day, it's clear as crystal. Now we see through a glass, darkly or dimly. There are perhaps things in our lives we don't understand. But in that day, everything is going to be clear as crystal, and we're going to look back and we're going to praise Him for His ways with us.
As David said, thy staff and thy rod, they comfort me. But I do believe I agree with Brother **** that we should move on and give an overview of the chapter.
Speaking of uh, Jeremiah 31 about Ephraim, remember, uh, in.
Interesting there as he says in verse. I'll just read the verse. Umm Jeremiah 31. Verse 20 is Ephraim my dear son.
And he a pleasant child, For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him. Still he has to refuse. God has to do this, therefore my bowels are troubled for him.
I will surely have mercy upon him, said the Lord. I think of that, I read this chapter how that God is merciful to his people. He can't let us go in our own way, in our own direction. He has to bring us back. He has to correct us, but he does it because he loves us. I, I think that's beautiful to see that.
He's lifting up the hands just hang down and the feeble knees and make him straight fast because the real objects across is what we find in the 14 first as we go through this team is to follow peace with all man and holiness.
Without with no man shall see the Lord and we can get our eyes in the pathway and we can even get our eyes on the ways of God, but it would really it is real often because that we have our eyes upon him and holiness is really that God is holy because he delights in what is good and what flows from that of course is he of course that was a diva has to correct and chastise and keep it from out to people, but his real object is.
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That, uh, we would delight in that which he delighted.
These verses too, beginning at verse 12, encourage our hearts to go on amidst failure because sometimes, as we've been saying, the Lord has to bring something into our lives to speak to us. But we can go on from here. And I think it's good to realize that we can never come to a point in our Christian lives where we have to say we failed so bad that we can't go on from this point. We can if we're willing to humble ourselves and learn the lessons that God has for us.
There is still, as we've been saying, a path of faith so that we can go on. It's true. We need to humble ourselves. We need a brother get brought before us in the last meeting. We need to own our part in the failure and the ruin. We need to have our faces in the dust. But I believe too, we need to get up and go on because he abides faithful. He hasn't. He hasn't changed. We can't go on in our own strength. We can't go on because of any merit of ourselves or something we have done. But we can go on because the resource is the same.
The grace is the same, the path is the same, the power is the same, and so He encourages us, even if we fail, even if God has to come in and put us under His chastening hand. Go on, learn the lesson and humble yourself. But then go on from this point for the Lord's glory and honor.
That's important point because Satan would whisper in our ear and say, well, you just failed. Look what you've done. It's no use. You might as well give up. That's his work, isn't it? He would cause us to be turned aside. But I think, as Jenna said, to go on from where we are, judge the thing that has caused this deep decline or downfall. Go on from there. There's never a time.
In the Christ, in our Christian pathway. But what we can't go on from that point. We all fail. That's true. We can't justify that either. But Satan would say, well, it's no use what look what you've done. You might as well give it all up. And I believe that the Lord is telling us something here on that where he says, uh, umm.
Lift, lift up the hands which hang down and the people's knees and make straight. As for your feet.
Oh, that's different, isn't it? For your feet, Not worry about somebody else's feet, but your feet. And then notice what he says. Umm, bless that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.
Someone, maybe there may be someone who is lame and may be infected by our failure. And uh, I believe I see that here in this chapter. I think it's clearly brought out looking a little later there, umm, where at verse 15? I'm not skipping verses, but just looking at verse, looking diligently. Does any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you again, He goes back to you and thereby many be defiled. Ah, that may have a wide effect upon others.
If, if the, if the, uh, I'm the lot look diligently. Let's see if we fail in the grace of God that it may have a very bitter effect or a bad effect upon those around us. And I believe I see that here in this chapter. No man is an island. You're not an island. You have an effect upon somebody. Every one of us in this room, someone is looking at you. I mean, I, I know the Lord is all the time, but someone else.
You're an example of someone somewhere.
And as, as as I've often said, we're, we're not an island, you know, we're, we're, we affect others.
So not only does going on in the path of faith affect our own joy, but it, as you say, we have an influence on others. I've been impressed with that verse that says no man liveth to himself and no man dies to himself. And I think I should go through the stories in the Old Testament of men and women and young people that God used. You see how they affected.
Another a good example is Daniel, because Daniel took a stand at the beginning of that time when he was taken to Babylon, he had the purpose of heart. He took a stand for the truth as he knew it in his day. And what was the result? His three friends were encouraged to take a stand with him. It's true that later on they had to stand on their own because when it came to the test of the fiery furnace, Daniel wasn't there to speak for them and they couldn't rest on Daniel's face.
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But no doubt their faith had been strengthened because they had been in the company of Daniel and his life had been an influence to them. And so our lives right now are having an effect on someone else. And it's a solemn thing to think that our lives are either affecting others for good and blessing. We're either an encouragement to the people of God or we're a hindrance and a discouragement. There's no neutral ground. I say, no man liveth to himself and no man dies to himself. Peter said, I go a fishing. And what was the result? The other said, we also go with thee. That was an, an, an influence for, for what ought not to have taken place. Daniel affected his friends for good. Peter was a, was a hindrance to his, uh, companions in the past of faith.
Well, as it's been said, we need to be exercised by this. This is a day of discouragement. But we need, like David, to encourage ourselves and the Lord and then to encourage those who are with us. Because when he encouraged himself, when he got into the sanctuary himself, then he went down and he was a tremendous encouragement to his brother. And it was a great victory that day because of David's faithfulness.
I'd just like to, uh.
Reemphasize something that our brother Charles remarked earlier. It does not say.
To make straight paths for everybody else's feet.
And the tendency in a time of failure and weakness.
Discouragement is well, let's make some rules that'll get everybody straightened out. It won't.
We want your brethren to walk on in the past, walk in it yourself now. It's your feet. And I want to call attention to a little grammatical thing that perhaps we might be fast losing. But.
Your insurance and our, uh, King James, and also in the JMD translation is plural.
So it's a collective responsibility here, isn't it, to make straight paths for our feet. But the purpose of that is that that which is lame be not turned aside rather than it be healed and.
If we see laminess.
And we live in a day of a lot of lameness.
Uh, I think we see it in our own walk, don't we? And if we don't have to look at others, we see the lane this with which all of us walk today.
Well, do we then make a crooked path? No, we make a straight path for ourselves.
And then the people of God can follow on, but it isn't making rules for one another. That's not the point here. The point is that you and I walk on in the straight path and make that straight path.
And that'll make a good path for the lane one to walk in too. And then it might be healed because that lameness is to God seeks its healing, not the perpetuation of it, but it's healing. So there's a healing ministry. And then immediately it says pursue peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord and normally.
We need to be reminded of holiness first, but here the Spirit of God has been pleased to bring peace 1St and I believe that there's a need for us to pursue peace.
And with law, but not to forget holiness in there, because that's the fundamental.
Requirement for senior lawyers.
Lovely verse in Second Corinthians chapter 3 that I thought of in in this connection.
Verse is the last verse, verse 18 of 2nd Corinthians 3. He has been speaking about the the Lord, the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there's liberty. But notice verse 18. But we all with unveiled face, the holy, the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
It should have an effect upon us if as he says here in our chapter follow peace with all men and holiness without reason, no man will be the Lord. This should have an effect upon us not because not to be uh to be saved or to get into favor with, but because we are occupation with Christ will be there was something that would be that would close out from this. There will be an overflow, won't there that will affect others and I believe I see in these verses the.
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The, uh, the effect that it will have upon others if our path, if my path, I have to read, refer to myself, what am I doing? What am I, what is my deportation? What am I, am I an example of a believer or am I hindering it? It's very important to see that. And, uh, the only way that I can do it is if I'm occupied with a person of Christ. That's, that's the secret of it reflecting Christ.
So it's very important to speak.
We're never justified in compromising the truth to try and be a help to others, whether it's to give out the gospel or whether it's to try to be an encouragement and help to our brethren.
And so holiness is very necessary. I think it's remarkable that in Second Timothy, in a day of weakness and ruin and a giving up of the truth, he reverses the order. You don't need to turn to it, but I'll just read it. He says follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them to call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Because as I say, I don't believe we're ever justified in compromising the truth to seek to be what we we might use it as an excuse to try to be a help to others.
Someone has said, you never push someone out of a ditch. You pull them out of a ditch. You never get in the ditch with them. You never compromise your own position. You stand on the solid ground and you, you, you pull them up to that solid ground. And I think this is good in the day in which we live, because I believe that compromise is letting the barrier down slowly. Sometimes said, if you have a brick wall and you come along and you take A roll of bricks off the top of the wall, well, it doesn't seem like very much just six or eight inches off the wall and nobody, maybe nobody misses that row of bricks when it's gone.
And so every once in a while you come along and you take another row off. Pretty soon the barrier has been let down. And maybe nobody misses the wall when it's removed because it was taken down slowly. Brethren, compromise is letting the barrier down slowly. And we need to, uh, be exercised because in Second Timothy, he puts righteousness and faith first. It's holiness and the truth of God. And that's the basis for communion. And if we're not holding to the principles, we'll never be a help to someone else. We may think we will be.
But I say we're not justified in compromising to seek to go on in peace. And if we have peace and love at the expense of righteousness and truth, that's compromise.
Just call attention to the fact that the word holiness.
In verse 14.
Is a word which means the practical effect produced in the salt, the practical effect. It isn't so much the quality, but it's the practical effect I think we've, uh, shifted away from.
Uh, paying attention to that word, holiness.
Our holiness denominations and perhaps uh, have scared us from it, but.
God still says be holy, for I am holy.
That is, God's nature is holiness, and if we call Him Father, we are to remember that, that we are partakers of his nature, and we are to manifest that nature in our walk. And so here the pursuit of holiness is practical holiness. Now someone might give us an idea of what holiness means. Maybe we haven't defined that for a while, and it would be good to understand what the word means.
When do you look like you're ready to do it?
Don't patio he appears to begin with and they are adjusted the same. Those who have been set apart and God is completely set apart from sin. God has no fellowship with sin and he wants his children to be completely separated from sin. Positionally, God's Jesus and Christ and so he addressing the apostle, the apostle Paul addresses as many times as to the Saints here and there and so positionally we are staying before God. We are accepted.
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Into the other and so practically.
It should be too, uh, well, through our possession of it before the Lord, months have been set apart. Is that right, brother?
According this is the importance of evil, isn't it very simple? Since I'm sure there's more to it than that, but I've always, uh, bought that. It's a very simple term that we could all understand if I can go along with evil and still, umm.
I think I'm in communion with the Lord. I'm, I'm mistaken because holiness is the abhorrence of that. We just don't, if we're going on with anything in our lives that is contrary to the truth of God, then we are not in communion with the Lord and we are not, uh, walking in the path of holiness because God is holy. And I think as, as you brought out, I think it's a practical thing here, isn't it? Because of the speech about follow peace with all.
And holiness, without which you remember she's the Lord Umm.
It, it doesn't mean, uh, because one is going on in evil, you've lost. I don't believe that's the thought, is it? It's just a not in the enjoyment as as we have a little later in verse 15, lest any man fail of the grace of God. I used to bother me a little bit, but really what it is I, I lose confidence in God's love if I'm going on in a way that's displeasing to him.
Think David summed it up when and had a nice desire when he said taking out the spirit of holiness from me. In other words, very simply, he said, I don't want to get used to sin. And I believe it's important if we're going to know what true holiness is in a practical way, to first of all get into the presence of God and to have the word of God before us as the standard. Because I think that in a day of lowering standards, we really little enter into what sin really is and what sin means to a holy God.
The Lord Jesus felt the effects of sin when He walked here in this world, because He had nothing in him that would respond to sin, and so he could groan in His pathway. We put the grave of Lazarus as He saw the effects of sin. He felt it keenly. He felt it as He was made sin for us, the one who knew no sin, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. But we have an old fallen nature still present with us, and we get used to sin, especially in a day of lowering standards.
Sometimes when I read the writings of the old brethren, I have to smile because some of the things that they felt were the epitome of worldliness and that which the people of God should shun. We look at very lightly today in a day of lowering standards. So I just say again, we need to get into the sanctuary, into the presence of the Lord with the word of God if we're going to know what true holiness really is. Is that right brother ****? Yes, I would like to thought in the Psalm that says.
Umm, thou has loved righteousness and hated wickedness, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. That is, the Lord Jesus was holy, and I believe not only is it the abhorrence of evil, but the loving of good. Now Adam, and this is important for our young folks to understand, He was never holy.
He was innocent, He did not know evil.
He did not know good in evil, but he was innocent. The Lord Jesus in his humanity was holy. That's why it said that holy thing that is born of me. That was never said.
Of anyone in the first data, the first item was innocent until quality.
Then.
When the Lord Jesus comes into the world, he comes.
As conceived under the power of the Holy Spirit. And so it says. Therefore, that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Why? Because he was the one who loved righteousness and hated iniquity.
Or wickedness in his very nature. And that's why when we insist on the impeccability of the Lord's humanity, what do we mean by that? We don't want to be theological, but just say that He could not have sinned. That's a cardinal fundamental doctrine, and it must be insisted on that in His very nature as man.
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Here on earth, he loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and he was holy, uh, the holy One who knew no sin.
He was here in that way, and I just think it's important for us to understand that word holiness in that sense. It is in the one's very nature, loving righteousness and hating wickedness.
By the Lord Jesus.
Died of the cross, he read. The faith of the faithful was rent and trade from the top to the bottom. What does that mean? That means that now we have access in the holiest of all. In the Old Testament, only the high priesthood enter into the Holius, and usually when you see a person.
The first thing you see is their face. If there is a mark on my shoulder, you may not see it. If there is a mark on my forehead, you see it right away. And so that's the first thing perhaps God would see of the men who would enter into the holiest of all the plate of gold. And something was engraving on there. Holiness to the Lord. And so let's characterize all these things today too, as we have accessed into the holiest development.
If I understand what you said by the neck, I don't want him right to righteousness and quoting that first.
And then God delighted in me and good, and I believe that that is the first bite of it. And Mr. Darby made a helpful comment. He said that we are too negative and divine things. And often the minute that we speak about holiness, we immediately began to speak of sin, as if holiness will merely the avoidance that which was evil. But really in its foundation it is a delight in that which is good. And God was holy before sin ever came in.
And the reason that he hates sin is that he serves that which is perfectly good.
And so you had to seek a remedy for skin that had come in. And they put it that way. And he hated that which it disturbed, that when thing was brought into the world. And umm, that really is what we need to fix our heart on, to delight in that which is good. Now it does involve the hatred of that which is evil. But that really in principle is what holiness is. It's a delight in that which is good and well.
You want me to say this? I've often said.
That, uh, had a cough so little understand what the baptism of the Spirit is and many Baptists don't understand what baptism is. And those of the holiness movement don't really understand what holiness is because they viewed holiness as simply the positive assurance of evil. And really what it is is delight, delighting good to know what the president position of the believer is, what he's been set apart to that will teach him what he not to avoid.
So we're holding this.
Every believer in Christ is holy in.
And every believer in Christ peaks too, but nonetheless use the practical signs that we follow reasonably to follow holiness because of positioning we've already brought into that.
It's because we're not, we are willing. It's not that we get hold of you. The whole notion of religion is the exercise amount so that he gets holy. But the exercise is in here because they are holy, better and because we do have peace with God. You want us to practically enjoy it in our circumstances.
So we go on to the 15th, 1St.
Brother Charles has commented on the beginning of it.
You have the root of bitterness springing up troubles many being defiled. I believe Brother Jim made a comment on that. As to the fact that bitterness that springs up can be file others many are defiled by it. Let's be careful about that.
It's a very practical thought is when a root of bitterness springs up, it not only troubles the immediate environment, but it many are defiled by it and there are assemblies that have not prospered.
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Because of bitterness that has come up and has never been judged. And it and it's, uh, distress. I remember.
Visiting an assembly in which I was informed that there was a sister. Had never spoken to another one other than, uh, just ordinary greeting in more than, I don't know, 17 or 18 years. And I almost wept when I heard that. That's nothing more than bitterness, beloved. Rather than it, he files the assembly.
Defiles the home it's come up in families where a, a feud will come up in a family, uh, two brothers, uh, that fall out and move speak to one another. Those are terrible things and maybe file.
I'm glad you mentioned brother **** the family, because I've been exercised as the people of God have gone through some real sifting and, and some real trials and tests to notice how that sometimes the root of bitterness can even be passed on to the next generation. And I think this is a word to those of us who have families that we don't, uh, at the dinner table and in the home, uh, roast our brethren. I'm speaking very plainly because that is passed on to the next generation.
Our children have ears and even at a young age they are listening to what mother and father are discussing. And if they, if we're only discussing the faults of the brethren and that bitterness and those things that we might feel against our brother, that's going to be passed on to the next generation. And brethren. I think we've seen that happen in the situations that we've been through in the last while where a root of bitterness was passed on from one generation to another, and then when the conditions were right, that root of bitterness came out.
And many were defiled.
I don't think I can properly express the rebuke I felt back.
Back, uh, the the trouble that we had about Shrewsbury.
When my children said to me one day at the table, can we have any meal without talking about that? What a review.
I had to hang my head.
And I, I think of it, there's no way you can gather those things up, but we can learn from them. We can learn from them. And we have to, as our brother Jim was saying, what we talked about at our tables, uh, effects our children very, very much. And I have no doubt that one of the reasons that a lot of young people are not going on is a lack of guardedness, what we said about our older brethren or our brethren in general.
Uh, at our tables. Interesting verse in uh, Deuteronomy chapter 29 and the children of Israel.
Of course it has to do with what they saw in Egypt, but, uh, I just noticed the language here, as you were saying, brother ****. Uh, uh, it has a wider package upon others. If you look at, uh, Deuteronomy 29 and, uh.
Verse 15.
There's a lot we could read, but anyway, but with Him there's standard here, that standard here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with Him that is not here with us this day. Notice the brackets then. For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the nations which He passed by, and He has seen their abominations and their idols, wood and stone.
Silver and gold which were among them. Of course, they were looking at the open idolatry that they saw.
But most in verse 18, lest there be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turneth away the state from the Lord our God, to go and search the gods of those nations, lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and warmly. What a warning to the people of God. And we know what is the open idolatry, but we we have to be very careful.
How we, what an effect these things have upon family, friends, and also on. It's a very interesting verse. Umm, as he says, looking diligently, must any, uh, any man fail the grace of God lest any root of bitterness training up trouble you and thereby many are defiled. Well, uh, the Lord warned them there in the book of Deuteronomy that many would be defiled, and they were.
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Adverse. That's very solid. The judges, chapter 18 and verse 30. I'm going to appeal to Mr. Darby's translation.
I think the Jews were so, uh, embarrassed about this that, that that judges 18 and verse 30.
And the children of Dan set up the graven image, and Johannathan the son of Gershom, the son of and Mr. Darby's translation says Moses.
Moses.
Well, the rabbis, I believe, tried to eliminate that and they put Manasseh because that's just too much to think of. The grandson of Moses introduced idolatry in in an organized way into Israel.
Just two generations down from Moses, we have a man introducing idolatry. It just bears out what God had warned them about in Deuteronomy.
29 doesn't it?
Reread his page. In fact, before that's the worst thing taking them out. Ephesians 4, the last two verses.
Metallica and Branch and Younger.
Glamorous 0 Speaking and put away from you and all mouth.
And he is fine and cancel another tender Harden for giving one another even as strong as they have triggers.
Who started his arrow? Like when they're put away and extended the positive side in the last verse.
Well, we have two kinds of people introduced in verse 16. I think it's gone beyond here, just the root of bitterness now.
But there's actually a fornicator, and let's not limit that word. I think it includes it, but let's not limit it to its primary meaning. I believe it has a spiritual sense too. That is, there is such a thing as spiritual fornication or unfaithfulness or perversion of what is right.
And then a profane person, maybe somebody can help us with that expression profane.
Umm, let me think of profanity as, uh, uh, some words that characterized by irreverence or God or holy things. That's a beautiful definition of it. I was going to read that again. Buddy characterized one who is characterized by irreverring or God or only thing for us could be a nice person, but that person has no faith in God. This year fell at East law and heard 16. They've been a very nice person, but I mean.
Yes, and none of his ways did he manifest any faith in gossip.
He despised the birthright.
Uh, what was his?
By birth he despised and sold it for a meal.
That you may see him. What was so terrible about that?
Well, it it's exactly what for the Reuben. Read to us there. Read it again. Ruben might help us. One who is characterized by irreverence, or God, or only things.
The birthright was a holy thing, wasn't it? And, uh, he despised it. He said, hey, a meal is just as good, you know, And, uh, I want to call attention to something that's not too clear in our, in our, uh, common version of the Bible.
Uh.
The, uh, thing that Esau sought diligently or earnestly was not was repentance. It wasn't repentance. He found no place for repentance.
What he desired earnestly was the blessing.
He did want the blessing that came with the birth rate, but he despised the birthright. So why then does he get the blessing? He can't get that letter because he despises. And besides, he found no place for repentance. That is, he did not turn around in his thinking and say I was wrong. I should not have desired, not have sold my birthright for a meal.
00:45:24
And what he thought. So let me read that from J&D's translation. I think it'll help.
For you know verse 17, for you know that afterwards desiring to inherit the blessing.
He was rejected now as a parenthetical expression that I'll leave out, although he sought it earnestly with tears.
Now I'll go back and put in the parenthesis.
Where he found no place for repentance.
What did he seek earnestly? The blessing. And that you'll find that often a profane person. He wants the blessing, but he's already despised the birthright. And when you despise the birthright, when you have no love for that which is of God.
And you despise that that which is sacred. Sacred is the opposite of profane, isn't it? That which is pertains to God?
And he if we despise the the birthright, then there's no place for plastic repentance. Yes, he could have repentance and he if he had really repented, but he found no place for it. It was not in his agenda. We might say it plainly and clearly. If there's anyone here who is rejecting the offer of salvation, you're despising a birthright that could be yours.
You're despising not just turning away from it, but you're despising it and the only way of receiving that blessing is through repentance, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. I know this verse has stumbled me for a long time until I got clearly that the the thought of the birthright and we use it today in the terms of do I really have I repented to God and accepted the Lord Jesus as my savior. If I am, I am a child of God. I have an eternal birthright.
And if I don't, then I'm despising it, not just turning away from it, but despising it because God could do, he could do no more. And he has done no less than giving his own beloved son for the, for our sakes, for our salvation. And I, I think it's important to see that to, to, if there's anyone here, young people that don't understand this, I believe it's well to remember that the thought of birthright is that he saw, he despised that it didn't mean a thing to him.
Does salvation mean anything to you?
That's that's the key that we did first. Go ahead. I was just going to say, we see a nice contrast with the prodigal son, because initially with the prodigal son, he desired the blessing without the presence of the father. And so he thought that he would have the portion of his inheritance. He took it away from the father's house, away from the place of enjoyment. And he found that there was a price to pay because he squandered it with riotous living. But it's beautiful to see there that unlike Esau, that man came to himself.
And their once true repentance, He owned that I have sinned and not only saw, but he said, I will arise and go to my father. And so he came and confessed that sin, and there was a real work of repentance. And I really believe that when the gospel goes forth today, we sometimes, and I say this to my own heart, we sometimes leave out the need for repentance because there has to be a work in the soul. It's not enough to receive the word in an outward way. I used to wonder when the seed was sown by that man who went out to sow the seed.
And the seed fell on Stony ground. When the disciples asked the Lord what it meant, he said it was those that Anon received the word with joy. And I used to think, well, wasn't it good that they received the word with joy? Well, I believe the thought is there that there was no root, there was no repentance. Because when there's true repentance, repentance is godly sorrow. There's no joy initially. When there's repentance, the joy comes after we realize that we're not just sinners, but then God has provided a remedy and in his mercy and grace reaches out to us in our need. But true repentance brings godly sorrow. And there must be that work, that root, that work in a soul. And so I think it's nice to see in contrast with Esau because.
These ones in scripture, they had opportunity to repent. Even Cain, when he sinned, he had opportunity to repent and to offer a sacrifice that was acceptable to God, but he refused to do it. And God never judges without giving a warning and without making a way of escape, so that there is room for godly repentance in the soul.
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Just so we're sure that, umm, we didn't, and that you don't have to, Let me put it this way. Someone might say, well, what if I don't have Mr. Darby's translation? How would I know?
That it was what Esau was seeking. Turn to Genesis 30, uh, 27.
Genesis 27, verse 34. Remember, God's word explains itself internally and uh, we don't need to guess about things. Uh, Genesis 27 and verse 34.
And when he saw heard the words of his father, he cried with a grain, and exceeding bitter cry instead unto his father.
Five sin, Is that what he said? No, he said.
Bless me, even me also, O my Father, what was he seeking? Blessed without repayment?
And, uh, you know, and religious ritualism.
I think some would come out of that will testify that one of the most common things you say is bless me, Father. Right, Sir. And uh, that is not how we come to God. We don't say bless me, Father. We, we, uh, come and repentance. Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and they're no more worthy to be told by some. He didn't even get out of his mouth. Make me as one of my hired servants.
The father wasn't seeking hired servants, but he brought that up because, uh, you know, they've been those that have argued about this. But, uh, however, in the market, two or three witnesses is every word established. God doesn't give us just a verse in, in an isolated way. If you look carefully at the word of God prayerfully, you'll find your answer. It's all here in the word of God, isn't it? If I see, if I see some portion that I don't understand.
Ask the Lord to make a good studio and continue seeking His grace and mercy in reading the Word of God.
Brother, if there's any other example of this with stalling First Samuel 15.
Verse 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and I word, because I fear the people and obey their voice.
Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.
And Samuel said on the saw, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned about to go away. He laid hold upon the skirt of his cattle, and it ran.
And Samuel, sit on me then the Lord had sent the Kingdom of Israel from you this day and have given it to us to a neighbor of mine. That is better than thou. Well, this sounds like a pretty good confession on so hard on stand. And uh, he does kind of blame the people, but transgress the commandment of the Lord. And then he wanted to worship the Lord. But the real sign in Saul was not really repentant was that he wanted to escape the government of God in connection with his sins.
I understand now, honored you before the people.
And that is, uh, really what you see. The contrast with David is the last chapter of Second Samuel.
And, uh, he has 10.
And Second Samuel 24 and 10.
And David's car smoked him. After that he had numbered the people. And David said, under the Lord, I have seen greatly in that I have gone. And now I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.
For one day, but it was up in the morning, The word of the Lord seemed it unto him by the prophet God David, see or say, Go and say unto David. Thus saith the Lord, Ioffer these three things, choose thee one of them, that I may do it under these. And so he gives David this choice. And what does David do? Does he please to escape the government of God? No, he leaves the choice to God. He has more confidence in the kindness of God.
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In his own thought toward God. And that is really a sign that as tall as we can before God is to submit to the government of God in connection with him.
Someone might ask what is your kindness?
In simple terms, that repentance is not only owning what I have done in the presence of God, but what I am.
I am umm, we need to we need to get into the presence of God about that, don't we don't wanna get in my subject for repentance, but I just thought of how not only what I have done, I have to confess that, but what I am.
The Lord said concerning the Pharisees that they received not the counsel of God against themselves, and I believe that's really what's involved in repentance is receiving the counsel of God against me.
The word fundamentally, of course, means to rethink comes from the French root, which is what I Paul say, but which means to think again.
And to again think of the matter, but to think of it now in a new way as God sees it. And so it's involved in accepting the counsel of God against me. And that's why they refuse to be baptized with John's baptism, because that was under repentance, wasn't it? That was to to accept the counsel of God against themselves.
I'd like to say to all the boys and girls here in this room.
All of you have a birthright. I take for granted that all your boys and girls have heard the gospel from your parents at home, and as such you're entitled to a double portion. Enjoy the Lord Jesus now and enjoy in the future. If you do not accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you're despising your birthright. There are many boys and girls walking down the street. Just go to the corner. Do they have a birthright? Many of them are not born in Christian homes, but you are.
You're privileged, don't despise it. And what about the parents? We heard something about roasting our brethren.
And your customers really, if you like, and he went to glory. He was the company back, Elijah. Well, the classmates have talked about this, Elisha. They must have roasted that man at the dinner table because some young people later on came along and said you go out your ball head. One of those very irrespective disrespectful of these children to say that, but the parents for the brunt of it because Toshiba came along and for 32 of them.
How many children know that Elijah had gone to glory in some fashion? They have heard it at the dinner table, but they also had at the same time heard disrespectful remarks, perhaps, perhaps about election. And so the parents lost. There were 32 Children were torn. And how many young people have been lost? It was because of things they have heard at the dinner table. Let's bring our let's, let's bring the Lord Jesus before our children that each and everyone may be saved.
Each round have a double portion. They enjoy the Lord Jesus now and in glory. We can take that a step further too, Brother Wim, because many of us here who have been brought up in Christian homes know the Lord Jesus as our Savior. But I think sometimes we don't value being brought up in the assembly and being brought to the assembly meetings where the truth is presented from the Word of God. And I think this is something that we need to value. So we get a little older, we perhaps look back and we appreciate it more. But I'll never forget reading a statement some years ago that.
Impressed me in this connection. The author said that often the 1St generation buys the truth at great cost, the second generation enjoys it, and the third generation often, not always but often squanders it. And I wondered if that wasn't something of the exercise. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he had a godly grandmother, a God fearing mother. Now Timothy was, so to speak, the third generation. And Paul says you value what you've been shown by your mother and by your grandmother.
And you go on too, in the troops that I've presented to you. So it's an exercise for those of us who are children here and young people. It's a wonderful thing to be not only brought up in a Christian home and be saved, but to be brought to the assembly. May we learn to value it and buy the truth for ourselves.
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Say #256.